I learned something today...

The Wobbler · Post by **The Wobbler** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 5:34 am

Hey look everyone here just turned 13

Spoonweaver · Post by **Spoonweaver** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 5:49 am

Just?

We'll be 13 forever sir!

Gizmog · Post by **Gizmog** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 10:36 am

Spoonweaver wrote:Your religions are just as flawed as the mormon religion is. The flying spaghetti monster is just as likely to exist as your gods.

The only reason people believe in religion is because their parents told them about it when they first learned about death. Facing your religion not being true is the same as facing death and facing your parents being wrong at the same time. It goes to figure that the increase of broken homes was followed swiftly by an increase atheism.

I disagree with that, actually. I think, for whatever reason (the moon, probably) we're hardwired to believe in some kind of higher power. Almost every civilization, regardless of family structure, and independantly of one another, has chosen to worship *something*. That doesn't necessarily imply that there actually is some Almighty Creator or something reigning over our existences, but either way it's more interesting than your Santa Claus premise.

In any case, none of us know for sure and that, in part, is what makes it such a fascinating subject. I find it interesting to look at the Catholic Church and all its endured over the past 1,800 years or so. To think that one man, regardless of whether or not he actually had any divine parentage, could still be such a powerful influence 2,000 years after his death is quite interesting. And to think, that if he was truly of divine origins that a mere 2,000 years later we can't even prove conclusively whether or not he existed speaks volumes on how temporary life is.

When it comes to weird beliefs, I don't think much of it. If there is a judgement to be passed when we die, I would certainly hope that judgement would be based on the content of our character, on our actions and intentions rather than what kind of rituals we performed. In short, I think that religions are a noble intention that are sometimes perverted by people. I hope there's some kind of a higher power, because the Universe is a fantastic place and someone deserves the credit. But if there is, I doubt our ability to understand its motives. After all, what an ant calls divine providence we call a picnic.

Now, let us all try to live good lives, hmm?

Spoonweaver · Post by **Spoonweaver** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 4:25 pm

Religion debate.

Taco Bot · Post by **Taco Bot** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 4:28 pm

Let's not start a flame war, now!

kylekrack · Post by **kylekrack** » Sat Nov 15, 2014 12:22 am

All I'm going to say on this matter is that it does make sense that people may be hard wired to believe in a higher power, but not just that. I think the ambiguity of the observable universe is so unfathomable that we have to contribute things we cannot understand to a higher power simply so that we don't go mad searching for answers. That's why religions have gotten less and less physical, like how Greek gods lived on the top of Mount Olympus and would actually interact with people, whereas most gods today are mostly spiritual and you never actually see them, because we're not ignorant enough anymore to believe that a big guy throws down lightning from the top of a mountain. I hope that doesn't offend anyone, I do respect whatever you may believe. I myself am a humanist, a skeptic, and a bit of an anti-theist.

Post by **Bob the Hamster** » Tue Nov 25, 2014 8:14 pm

Sparoku · Post by **Sparoku** » Tue Dec 02, 2014 7:15 am

I learned that replying to bot threads is not a good idea.

Nathan Karr · Post by **Nathan Karr** » Wed Dec 03, 2014 5:32 am

The easiest way I've found to see if whatever new person asks to be my friend on Skype is a spambot is whether or not she acknowledges me saying "I have a girlfriend." Also, any mention of credit cards = scambot spambot. Good thing I buy everything with cash.

FnrrfYgmSchnish · Post by **FnrrfYgmSchnish** » Wed Dec 03, 2014 7:51 pm

From what I've seen, if a random stranger from out of nowhere is asking to be my friend on Skype in the first place, they're probably a spambot...

If their name is in the format "(word).(word)(random numbers)" they're also probably a spambot.

Taco Bot · Post by **Taco Bot** » Wed Dec 03, 2014 10:23 pm

FnrrfYgmSchnish wrote:If their name is in the format "(word).(word)(random numbers)" they're also probably a spambot.

That doesn't always hold true, that's just the default name Skype generates. Many of my good friends were simply too lazy to change it.

The best way to tell if a random person who asks to be your contact on Skype is a spambot is if a random person on Skype asks to be your contact. Simple as that.